Wrench.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR L. HAMILTON, OF KEARNEY, NEBRASKA.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,251, dated November21, 1899.

Application filed J une 29, 1899.

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHR L. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kearney, in the county of Buffalo and State of Nebraska,have invented a new and useful Vrench, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to wrenches in general, and more particularly tothat class comprising mutually pivoted members in the form of tongs; andit has for its object to pro- Vide a device of this'nature in which thepivot of the tongs or Wrench may be shifted laterally to vary the limitsof movement of the jaws of the wrench to grasp larger or smaller bodies.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the severalviews, Figure 1 is an elevation of the rear face of the wrench with thehead of the pivot removed to show its form. Fig. 2 is a view similar toFig. l, showing the position of the pivot when the jaws of the wrenchare brought together. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the pivot. Fig.4 is a partial detail side elevation showing the upper portions of thejaws with the pivot complete.

Referring now to the drawings, in forming a wrench in accordance withthis invention two members 5 and 6 are provided, each comprising a jawand a handle. The jaws are provided on similar faces withoutwardly-extending lugs 7 and 8, each comprising two sides, the sidesof each lug lying at right angles to each other, and the angles of thelugs being adapted to outline opposite angles of a rectangle to receivethe opposite corners of a nut or the head of a bolt or other body to beoperated upon. The member has formed therein, adjacent one side thereof,an angular opening 9, which is preferably square, and is at that edge ofthe member in the direction of inward movement of the lug 7.

Transversely of the member 5 is formed a slot 10, the lower wall ofwhich is [iat and the end walls of which converge upwardly. The upperwall of the slot 10 is provided with a plurality of angular recesses 1l,separated by inwardly-directed similar projections, as shown.

A pivot-pin 12 has its cXtremity formed to Serial 110.72 2, 3 1 l. (Nomodel.)

iit the perforation 9 to be held against rotation with respect to theelement 7, said pin in its adjustment to the perforation 9 being passedthrough the slot 10 and having a head 13, adapted to lie against theouter face of the element 5 and transversely of the slot l0. Thatportion of the pin or pivot passing through the slot l0 or lying thereinis diamond-shaped or has the form of arhombus in cross-section, thediagonals of which coincide with the diameters of the rectangular endportion of the pivotpin. The dimensions of this diamond-shaped portionof the pivot-pin 15 are such that when one face thereof lies against thebottom wall of the slot 10 the upper face thereof or opposite face willbe movable longitudinally of the slot and free of theinwardly-projecting portions of the upper Wall. These inwardlyprojecting portions have their ends rounded slightly, as shown, and thuswhen the pivotpin is moved longitudinally of the slot until its minorupper angle has passed beyond the apex of the `inwardly-projectingportion of the upper wall of the slot the handles of the members 5 and 6may be moved to' rock the pivot-pin, with its diamond-shaped portion,vertical or transversely of the slot 10. When in this position, it willbe held against furL ther longitudinal movement of the slot and will actas a pivot for the members as the jaws are brought together.Furthermore, it will be seen that as the jaws are brought together andthe pivot-pin is brought to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawingsit will have a rocking engagement with the adjacent surface of the upperwall of the slot and a consequent minimum of friction. Moreover, by theem ployment of the diamond-shaped crosssection of the pivot-pin and thefiat faces of the inwardly-projecting portions of the upper wall of theslot there is an amount of play which forms substantially a continuousop erative relation of the jaws of the wrench from one end to the otherof the path of adjustment of the pivot-pin with respect to the member5--that is, the pivot-pin instead of having only two operativepositions, one at each end of the slot, said pivot-pins can be operatedcontinuously of the slot or substantially continuously thereof.

It will be of course understood that the pivot-pin may be diamond-shapedthroughout its length, in which event the perforation E) would besimilarly shaped to receive it. This pivot-pin is held in position inany desired manner, such as by means of a nut upon its end opposite thehead.

It will be of course understood that in practice the jaws may have anydesired construction, the proportions may be varied, and any desiredmaterial may be employed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having` thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. A wrenchcomprising two members having jaws adapted to receive a body to beoperated upon, a slot in one of the jaws having a continuous successionof inward projections of one wall thereof resulting in a continuonssuccession of recesses and an opposite wall free of projections andrecesses, and a pivotpin passed through said slot and fixed to thesecond member, said pin having a cross-sec tionally-angular portionadapted to successively enter said recesses and to be rocked from one toanother by manipulation of the members.

2. A wrench comprising two members having gripping-jaws, a slot in oneof the members having a continuous succession of recesses in one wallthereof separated by angular projections, the opposite Wall of saidrecess being lat and free of projections and recesses, and a pin passedthrough said recess and seated in the second member, said pin having across-sectionally-angular portion adapted to lie transversely of theslot and engage the walls of a recess and to be rocked and moved toproject into the succeeding recess and to be further rocked to lie inthe succeeding recess and transversely of the slot.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR L. HAMILTON.

NVitnesses:

H. V. SALTZGABER, DAVID HAMILTON.

